CrossFit Games Profile: James Sprague Gains Momentum Heading Into His Sophomore Season
James Sprague jumps onto the podium to celebrate his third-place finish at the 2024 West Coast Classic with his signature giddiness and exuberance.
He steps down and continues congratulating, thanking, and chatting with seemingly everyone milling around amidst the confetti and champagne-covered floor mats.
Sprague is anxious for what comes next and is grateful that he is once again headed to the big show of them all: the CrossFit Games.
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Making the Jump
Competing as a teen in 2017 and 2019, Sprague held his own amongst a competitive lineup.
Finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in those years, he made a name for himself as a vibrant up-and-comer, with many people wondering how quickly he’d be able to make the jump to the Individual division.
- With three-time teen champion, friend, and sometimes training partner Dallin Pepper blazing the trail, Sprague edged closer and closer each year between 2019 and 2023, attempting to grab a Games spot.
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But it wasn’t until 2023 that Sprague finally earned his way to the CrossFit Games via the North American West Semifinal, taking the second-to-last qualifying place ahead of Spencer Panchik.
Gathering Speed
Since finishing in 25th place at his rookie Games debut last year, Sprague has made waves and has proven himself as an athlete who’s quickly gaining traction and polishing his weaknesses.
At 2024 TYR Wodapalooza, he finished seventh overall, snagged an event win, and collected two top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes.
After the competition, he shared on Instagram that although he hoped to finish in the top five, he felt like “a new James on the competition floor.”
- “Success is not about placement; it’s about self-growth, discovery, and hard work you put into [being] there and being proud of your efforts,” Sprague continued in the post.
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The 2024 CrossFit Games Season
At the West Coast Classic, Sprague cemented the idea that he belonged there, amongst the big dogs.
- He finished third place overall and took home two event wins along the way.
He’s emerging as a home run hitter — an athlete that, while well-rounded, can take down win events and knock it out of the park, all with a 10,000-watt smile.
After his podium placing, we asked him how he felt, throwing down with the elites in Carson.
- “It feels right. It feels like I should be here. I feel like I’m in the right place at the right time,” Sprague told the Morning Chalk Up.
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However, his success still comes as a surprise to him at times.
- “I didn’t expect it to go this well. But I have to expect more out of myself and be more confident,” Sprague says.
He shared that competing against men like Pat Vellner and Brent Fikowski all still feels very surreal.
- “If you would have asked me eight years ago when I started CrossFit, if I ever thought I would be here, I’d be like, ‘heck no, are you crazy?’ But you know you take one day at a time and keep making steps in the right direction and the sky’s the limit,” Sprague said.
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The Bottom Line
Sprague has shown tremendous strides in a short amount of time, jumping from an 11th-place finish at the 2023 Semifinals to a podium in 2024 and two event wins.
Although it took four years, he has made the challenging transition from teen competitor to individual and seems to be gaining traction with each season.
His 25th-place Games finish from 2023 will likely be forgotten, as this year, Sprague has potential for a top-10 spot.
Featured image: @CrossFitGames / Instagram
